Chand Biscuits/Moon Cookies

Hi friends,

Wishing you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR

I wanted to celebrate this special occasion with Hyderabadi delicacy Chand biscuits. Chand biscuits or moon biscuits are in the shape of crescent moon. They are pretty famous in irani chai stall to big confectioneries in Hyderabad. Chand biscuits and Chai/tea both pair a very good combination. The preparation of Chand biscuits is so simple. I’ve prepared them in a nonstick Pan on stove top. You can bake them in an oven too. Here I present mouth melting Hyderabadi evening snack Chand biscuits which is served with cardamom tea to relish. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Snacks/cookies
Cuisine: Hyderabad, Telangana
Servings: 5-6

Ingredients:

Maida: 1 cup(Small)

Sugar: 1 cup(Small)

Melted ghee: 1 cup(Small) or slightly less than one cup.

Method of preparation:

1. Take one cup of maida flour and one cup of sugar. Take melted ghee also.

2. Take a mixer grinder and grind the sugar to a fine powder.

3. Now transfer the maida into a broad vessel.

4. Transfer the powdered sugar into the same vessel and Mix powdered sugar or icing sugar with maida thoroughly.

5. Slowly add ghee to make dough. Do not add any water.

6. Take a plate and make the dough into thin like sheet either with rolling pin or Palm.

7. Now take a small round cup or glass and cut the thin sheet into crescent shape pieces.

8. Grease a steel plate with ghee and transfer the moon shaped dough pieces into it. Keep aside.

9. Now heat non stick Pan and pour good amount of table salt into it to create oven like atmosphere.

10. Heat the Pan with salt on low flame for 8-10 minutes keeping lid(Preferably Aluminium). If using steel it should be strong and heavy.

11. Now open the lid and  keep the steel plate which has moon shaped dough pieces above the salt.

12. Close the lid again and bake the biscuits on low flame for 20- 25 minutes.

13. Check once after 20 minutes. If they are done nice aroma comes. Switch off the flame and leave for two minutes.

14. Open the lid and take the plate out of the pan.

15. Carefully transfer the biscuits into a serving plate using a spoon or knife.

16. The top side of the biscuits are white in colour and the bottom side  in light brown colour.

17. Now the mouthwatering and mouth melting Chand biscuits are ready to celebrate the occasion.

18. They taste awesome when served with a cup of cardamom tea as an evening snack.

19. The Chand biscuits are stored in an airtight box and can be used for 15-20 days.

Tip:

1. I’ve added melted ghee to prepare the dough, instead you can add unsalted white butter too. Vanilla essence or cardamom powder can also be added to enhance the flavour.

2. The biscuits can be prepared in an oven too. Preheat oven at 180 c for five minutes and bake them 10-15 minutes approximately. The baking time slightly varies depending on the oven.

3. Instead of salt, sand can be used. The salt used for heating can be recycled to make rangoli.

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

 

 

Gongura Pappu/Red Sorrel Leaves Lentils

Gongura pappu

Gongura pappu is usually prepared with red sorrel leaves having white stems. But I had few bunches of gongura/red sorrel leaves with red stems. They are very sour, so few leaves are enough to prepare the pappu. Gongura pappu is prepared with toor dal and gongura leaves. The gongura Pappu is very tasty when served with hot steamed rice along with roasted sun dried chillies(Majjiga mirapakayalu). Here I present delicious and perfect winter recipe gongura pappu to relish. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Side dish/dals/lentils
Cuisine: Andhra, India
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Red sorrel leaves: 3 small bunches

Toor dal: 1 cup

Green chillies: 3 nos.

Salt: As required

Turmeric: Generous pinch

Tempering:

Oil: 1 tbsp

Mustard: 1 tsp

Cumin: 1 tsp

Hing: A pinch

Garlic flakes: 4/5 nos.

Method of preparation:

1. Take three small bunches of gongura leaves.

2. Pluck leaves from the stems.

3. Rinse well with water 2/3 times and drain the water. Keep the leaves in a veggie basket till we use.

4. Roughly chop them and transfer the leaves into a heavy bottomed vessel. Add required amount of water. Slit and chop the green chillies and add them too.

5. Bring them to boil.

6. Meanwhile take one cup of toor dal. Rinse well with water and add two and half cups of water. Add generous pinch of turmeric. Pressure cook the dal along with rice for five whistles. Switch off the flame.

7. Allow the pressure to settle on its own. Open the lid and mash the steamed toor dal with a ladle. Keep aside.

8. Cook the gongura leaves till they become soft.

9. Now add the mashed dal to the cooked gongura leaves. Mix thoroughly.

10. Add required amount of salt and boil for five minutes.

11. Heat a kadai and pour oil for tempering.

12. Put mustard and cumin seeds. When mustard splutter add garlic flakes and a pinch of hing too.

13. Pour the tempering onto the gongura pappu/dal.

14. Mix well and boil for a minute. Switch off the flame.

15. Now the tasty gongura pappu is ready to serve hot. Transfer the Gongura pappu into a serving bowl and serve with roasted sun dried chillies.

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch Menu # 6

Lunch menu # 6

Today I’ve planned to post my lunch menu # 6. This is very delicious Andhra meal. The lunch menu has Beerakaya vulli karam(Ridge gourd onion gravy), instant tomato pickle, Vundala majjiga pulusu(Buttermilk stew with protein balls) along with steamed rice, curd and melted ghee. Here I present my lunch menu # 6 to relish any day. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Steamed Rice

Beerakaya Vulli Karam/Ridge Gourd Onion Gravy

Instant Tomato Pickle

Vundala Majjiga Pulusu/Buttermilk Stew With Protein Balls

Curd

* please click on the recipe links for individual recipes.

 

 

Vundala Majjiga Pulusu/Buttermilk Stew With Protein Balls

Vundala majjiga pulusu

Buttermilk is one of the most simple and staple foods of Indian homes. Buttermilk is enjoyed in the form of salted or sweetened lassi. Several Indian dishes are prepared using either curd or buttermilk. A delicious recipe where the tartiness of buttermilk can be enjoyed is Majjiga pulusu. There are several variantions in Majjiga pulusu (Depending on preparation, vegetables used, etc). One such variantion is Vundala Majjiga pulusu. Vundala majjiga pulusu is buttermilk stew prepared with protein balls. This is an amazing Chittoor district(Andhra Pradesh) recipe. Protein balls are prepared with soaked pigeon peas/toor dal adding few spices. Soaked toor dal is then ground into a fine paste and later made into balls(Vundalu). These balls are cooked in buttermilk to prepare Vundala majjiga pulusu. This goes well with hot steamed rice. Here I present special delicacy Vundala majjiga pulusu to relish anytime. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Main
Cuisine: Andhra, India
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Curd: 1 cup

Pigeon peas/toor dal/kandi pappu: 1 small cup or two fistfuls.

Red chilli: 3 nos.

Green chilli: 1 no.

Ginger: Half inch piece

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Salt: As required

Turmeric: Generous pinch

Curry leaves: A sprig

Coriander leaves: Few

Tempering:

Ghee: 1 tsp

Mustard: Half tsp

Cumin: Half tsp

Asafoetida: A pinch

Fresh grated coconut/dry copra powder: 1 tsp.

Method of preparation:

1. Take one small cup of toor dal in a vessel.

2. Rinse once with water and soak the toor dal in enough water. Put red chillies and green chilli too.

3. Soak the dal and chillies in water for one hour.

4. Meanwhile take one cup of curd and beat the curd with a beater. Keep aside.

5. After one hour of soaking, pour the soaked toor dal water into the curd and whisk thoroughly. Add required amount of water also to get thin buttermilk. Add turmeric too.

6. Now take a mixer grinder put the soaked toor dal and chillies. Add cumin, roughly chopped half inch ginger piece and required amount of salt too.

7. Grind to a fine paste without adding water.

8. Transfer the ground paste into a vessel. Keep one tsp ground paste which is to be added to the buttermilk to get good consistency.

9. Make medium size balls from the ground toor dal paste and keep aside.

10. Now take the thin buttermilk and add one tsp of ground paste into it.

11. Mix well and allow the buttermilk to boil. Add required amount of salt too.

12. Take six balls and carefully drop them into the boiling buttermil. Don’t stir the buttermilk for five minutes.

13. Allow the balls to cook on low flame till the balls come up.

14. Transfer the  cooked balls onto a plate.

15. Now drop the remaining balls into the buttermilk and do not stir.

16. Cook till the balls float. That means the balls are cooked completely.

17. Now add the previous cooked balls which are kept on the plate too.

18. Stir once carefully and cook the buttermilk with balls on low flame for two minutes.

19. Add chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves too.

20. Mix well and boil for one more minute. Switch off the flame.

21. Take small kadai and pour ghee into it.

22. Add mustard and cumin seeds. When mustard splutter add a pinch of hing and curry leaves into it. Switch off the flame.

24. Pour the tempering onto the majjiga pulusu.

25. Now in the same kadai, take one tsp of fresh grated coconut and fry for a minute.

26. Put the roasted fresh coconut onto the majjiga pulusu.

27. Now the yummy Vundala majjiga pulusu is ready. Mix thoroughly and transfer the Vundala majjiga pulusu into a serving bowl. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Tips:

1. I’ve prepared protein balls with pigeon pea/toor dal, instead you can prepare the balls using Bengal gram(Chana dal) too.

2. After adding Protein balls to the boiled buttermilk, do not stir the mixture for five minutes or till the balls float onto the surface.

3. Use sour curd for best results.

 

 

 

 

 

Instant Tomato Pickle

Instant tomato pickle

Can’t wait for summer to relish the pickles. Here comes an outstanding pickle which can be prepared anytime any season with no effort whilst traditional tomato pickle takes elaborate procedure. The pickle is prepared with fresh and ripe tomatoes. The tomatoes are finely chopped and sautéed in oil and seasoning is done with spices. Instant tomato pickle goes well with steamed rice, idly, dosa or chapathi too. Here I present spicy, tangy instant tomato pickle to please our senses. Njoy Ccoking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: pickles
Cuisine: Andhra
Servings: 15

Ingredients:

Tomatoes: 750 gms or 8 nos. (Approximately)

Crystal Salt: As required(Approximately half tbsp)

Turmeric: Generous pinch

Oil: 3 1/2 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 4 tsp

Asafoetida: A pinch

Home made Sambar Powder: 1 tsp.
(Please click on the recipe link)

Method of preparation:

1. Take approximately 750 gms of tomatoes and rinse them well with water.

2. Trim the stem part and finely chop the tomatoes. Keep aside.

3. Now heat kadai and pour oil. Add a pinch of hing/asafoetida into it.

4. Now add chopped tomatoes into the oil.

5. Mix well and sauté on high flame for two minutes.

6. Now juices are released from the chopped tomatoes.

7. Now keep the stove on low flame and Sauté the tomatoes stirring at regular intervals.

8. When they are seventy percent cooked add required amount of salt.

9. Now add generous pinch of turmeric too.

10. Mix thoroughly and sauté for five minutes or till oil oozes out of the mixture.

11. Now add red chilli powder and sambar powder.

12. Mix well and sauté till nice aroma comes(Approximately two minutes).

13. Switch off the flame and allow to set for two minutes.

14. Now the spicy n tangy instant tomato pickle is ready to serve.

15. Transfer the tomato pickle into a serving bowl and serve with hot steamed rice. Remaining tomato pickle is stored in an airtight container and can use for one week if refrigerated.

Tip:

I have added home made sambar powder to the pickle. The addition of sambar gives nice aroma and taste. If sambar powder is not readily available, half tsp of fenugreek seeds are dry roasted in a kadai. Crush them into a fine powder in a mortar pestle. Add this powder to the sautéed tomatoes along with red chilli powder. Remaining procedure is the same.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Recipes

Christmas recipes

Christmas is a grand festival that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. The festival is celebrated on 25th of December every year across globe beyond religions. It’s one of the kids favourite festivals. Celebrate this festive occasion with wide variety of delicacies. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Merry Christmas🎁!!

1. Fruit Salad With Custard

2. Baby Corn Rice

3. Cheese Cherry Pineapple sticks

4. Bendakaya Annam/Bendakay Chitrannam/Bhendi Rice/Ladyfinger Rice

5. Guava Kesari

6. Green Peas Mint Pulao

7. Fruit Platter

8. Trifle Pudding

 

Thank you for visiting akshayakumbham and leaving comments. Your comments are really appreciated.

Guava Kesari

Guava kesari

Guava kesari is a delightful sweet/dessert. Christmas is forthcoming. Celebrate this Christmas with this yummy dessert. Guava kesari is prepared with guava and Bombay rava/semolina. Addition of guava makes the dessert even more flavourful and nutritious. Here I present delectable guava kesari to relish during festive days. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Sweet/Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

Bombay Rava/Semolina/Sooji: 1 cup

Sugar: 1 cup

Guava: 2 tbsp(Chopped) or half piece

Cardamom pods: 5/6 nos.

Saffron strands: Few

Kesar Food colour: A pinch
(Orange)

Water: 5 cups

Ghee: 3 tbsp

Dry fruits: 1 tbsp(Cashews n Raisins)

Dried blue berries: Few for garnishing(Optional)

Method of preparation:

1. Take one cup of Bombay rava in a nonstick pan.

2. Pour the rava into the pan and add one tbsp of ghee.

3. Roast the Bombay rava on low flame till nice aroma comes.

4. Transfer the roasted rava onto a plate.

5. In the same pan add one more tbsp of ghee and roast the dry fruits.

6. Chop the guava into tiny pieces. Remove the seeds as far as possible.

7. Now add the chopped guava pieces into the roasted dry fruits.

8. Fry them for two minutes and add five cups of water.

9. Bring the water to boil.

10. Meanwhile crush the cardamom pods in a mortar pestle.

11. Add the crushed cardamom and saffron strands into the boiling water. Mix well and allow to boil for one more minute. Add a pinch of food colour too.

12. Now add slowly roasted Bombay rava into the boiling water. Keep stirring continuously for a minute without forming any lumps.

13. Cook the rava on low flame stirring at regular intervals. Cook the rava for 10 minutes.

14. Take one cup of sugar and add this to the cooked rava. Mix thoroughly.

15. Add one tbsp of ghee now and cook furthermore till uniform lump is attained leaving sides of the pan.

16. Switch off the flame and allow the kesari to settle down for two minutes.

17. Now the hot guava kesari is ready to serve.

18. Garnish with cashews or dried blueberries and enjoy the flavours.

19. The guava kesari can be poured into a cup/vessel to get desired size and shape.

Potlakaya Vepudu/Snake Gourd Fry

Potlakaya vepudu

Potlakaya vepudu/snake gourd fry is so tasty and can be prepared very easily. This is no onion no garlic recipe. Snake gourd is chopped into small pieces and shallow fried in oil. Spice powder(Jilakara karam) is added to enhance the flavour. Potlakaya vepudu goes well with steamed rice, rasam or sambar too. Here I present Potlakaya vepudu to relish on any day. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Side dish
Cuisine: Andhra, India
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Snake gourd: 750 gms(Approximately)

Oil: 2 1/2 tbsp

Salt: As required

Jilakara Karam/Roasted Cumin Chilli powder: 2 tsp(Please click on the recipe link for detailed description)

Turmeric: Generous pinch

Coriander leaves: For garnishing.

Method of preparation:

1. Take 750 gms of snake gourd/Potlakaya. Rinse well with water. Slit them longitudinally and remove the seeds. Chop them into small pieces.

2. Heat big kadai and pour oil.

3. Put the chopped snake gourd pieces into the kadai.

4. Mix well and fry them on low flame.

5. Stir the snake gourd pieces occasionally and shallow fry them.

6. Add required amount of salt and generous pinch of turmeric.

7. Mix well and fry them till they are completely done. The procedure takes 45 minutes approximately.

8. Now add two tsp of jilakara karam into the fry and mix thoroughly. I’ve added freshly ground jilakara karam.

9. Stir continuously for one minute and switch off the flame.

10. Transfer the curry into a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice and enjoy!!!

Tips:

1. There are many variations of Potlakaya fry. While the Potlakaya fry preparation is same, by varying the spice powders, different flavours can be attained. I’ve added jilakara karam(roasted cumin and red chilli powder) for the recipe. Instead you can add roasted gram powder. Besan flour and red chilli powder also can be added.

2. Jilakara karam can be used for any stir/deep fry.

 

Jilakara Karam/Roasted Cumin Chilli powder

Jilakara karam

Jilakara karam is a spicy powder which is used particularly for stir fry/deep fry. The addition of jilakara karam enhances the flavour and taste too. It’s a simple and super easy recipe which can be prepared with three ingredients. The shelf life of the jilakara karam is two months. Cumin and Red chillies are dry roasted and ground to a fine powder adding a pinch of salt. The ground powder is stored in an airtight glass jar/container. The powder is added at the end of the recipe. The powder can be used for stir fries like ladyfinger, ivy gourd, colocasia, potato, raw banana, snake gourd and many more. Here I present spicy jilakara karam which is used for any fry. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Spice powders
Cuisine: Andhra, India
Servings: 10

Ingredients:

Cumin seeds: Half Cup or 4 tbsp(Approximately)

Red chillies: 50 gms(Approximately)

Salt: A pinch

Method of preparation:

1. Heat kadai and put red chillies into it. Dry roast them for thirty seconds.

2. Now add cumin seeds and roast for one minute.

3. Switch off the flame and add a pinch of salt. Addition of salt helps to retain freshness of the powder. Allow them to cool down completely.

4. Take a mixer grinder, put the roasted ingredients into it.

5. Grind them to get a fine powder.

6. Transfer the jilakara karam into an airtight container. Allow the powder to cool down for five minutes and close the lid of the jar tightly. Use 2/3 tsp of jilakara karam depending on the requirement.

 

 

Baby Corn Masala Curry

Baby corn masala curry

Baby corn masala curry is so delicious when served with roti/pulka/chapathi. The curry goes well with any veggie pulao or jeera rice too. The curry is prepared with baby corn, onion tomato cashew nut gravy and spice powders. I’ve prepared roti with wheat flour and maida too. Here I present tasty baby corn masala curry which is served with wheat/maida roti. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Side dish
Cuisine: North Indian
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Baby corn cobs: 10 nos.

Onions: 2 nos.

Tomatoes: 3 nos.

Cashews: 10 nos.

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp

Bay leaf: 2 nos.

Garam masala: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: Half tsp

Coriander powder: Half tsp

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves: Half tsp

Coriander leaves: Few

Salt: As required

Oil: 2 1/2 tbsp

Ghee/butter: 1 tsp

Amul Cream: 2 tsp(For garnishing).

Method of preparation:

1. Take ten corn cobs and remove the outer layer.

2. Rinse well with water, remove the edges and chop them into bite size pieces and keep aside.

3. Take onions and tomatoes. Rinse with water and roughly chop them.

4. Heat pan, pour oil. Put chopped onions and sauté them well.

5. When they change into translucent, add ginger garlic paste.

6. Mix well and sauté on low flame till raw smell goes.

7. Now add chopped tomato and mix thoroughly.

8. Sauté the tomatoes till they become soft and add cashews into it.

9. Mix well and sauté for two more minutes. Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool down.

10. Take a mixer grinder put the cooled mixture and grind into a smooth puree.

11. Take same non stick pan, pour oil. Add two bay leaves into it.

12. Sauté for few seconds and add ground puree into it. Also add one tsp of melted ghee.

13. Stir continuously for few seconds and cook the puree on low flame for five minutes.

14. Now add cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder too. Add required amount of salt too.

15. Mix thoroughly and sauté the mixture for one minute.

16. Now add red chilli powder and mix well. Also add chopped baby corn pieces into it.

17. Mix well and add half cup of water. Now add chopped coriander leaves and crushed kasuri methi.

18. Mix well and sauté on low flame for five minutes. Switch off the flame.

19. Now the delicious baby corn masala curry is ready to serve. Transfer the curry into a serving bowl. Garnish with amul cream.

20. Serve the baby corn masala curry with hot pulka or maida roti.